Sealing the Walls and the Ceiling

DIY, Home Repair, SoCS 70 comments

This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday and is brought to you by the voices in my head, who have been set free from their dungeon. Linda says:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “sealing/ceiling.” Use one, use both, have fun!

Have fun? Oh, we’re having fun. We bought lumber, we’re using power tools, we’re lifting stuff with winches – which is almost as good as having a crane – and things are taking shape.

This summer’s project is to replace the siding on our garage. That would seem to be a straightforward process, but since the existing siding is T-111, a plywood based product that serves as sheathing and siding in one, and since it is not in the best of condition, it has to be removed. We could just replace certain sections, but that would require sealing a bunch of seams.

We haven’t started ripping walls down yet. That means I don’t have a dumpster yet. It’s been years since I‘ve had a dumpster. Years, I tell you! It also means we aren’t tripping over piles of plywood and vinyl siding that can’t be used yet. Why can’t they be used – If no one asked that question, well, it’s not going to stop me, this train of thought is moving.

The reason for the delay is that two things have to be replaced before we replace the siding. OK, there are really three things, if you consider the sheathing a thing. One of the non-sheathing things is the set of entry doors to the storage space in the attic of the garage. The second thing is the “seasonal shed” hanging off the side of the garage. I put seasonal shed in quotes because it’s a funny little thing between me and the Mrs.

Like every suburban family in America, we have a shed. Like all those families, the shed is a house-of-horrors that escaped a mechanical amusement park. Every imaginable implement of destruction, and assorted powered cutting, chopping, mulching, blowing and bagging thing under the sun is in there. They aren’t actually under the sun. the roof of the shed is a ceiling of sorts.

Everything has handles, sharp parts and lots of stuff has wheels to make navigating the shed very dangerous. Add the fact that we put stuff away when we’re hot and tired and, well you get the picture. If you don’t, go look at your shed. If you’re one of those highly organized types, go look at your neighbor’s shed. Go ahead, ask him if you can borrow something. It’s July, I suggest you ask for a leaf rake. That hasn’t been used for eight months, there’s no way he’ll find it.

About 20 years ago, I had the bright idea to build a small shed, about 7′ (2.1m) tall, 4′ (1.2m) wide and not quite deep enough for a Home Depot Homer Bucket. The idea was that we would move the items needed for the current season from the shed into the seasonal shed. Then everything would be handy. I finished the seasonal shed in May. I hung it on the wall, my wife filled it with garden tools and it has remained full of those tools ever since. It has never held a snow shovel or an ice-chipper or a bag of salt.

The deal was sealed the day the shed was hung.

The seasonal shed has worn well, but needs repairs. And, it’s not quite deep enough for a Homer Bucket. And, it has to be painted. That’s three strikes, it’s out.

I am building a new seasonal shed. It’s designed to be sided like the garage as a means of sealing the shed and its contents against the wind, rain and snow – since it’s never opened in the winter. It also needs to be shingled like the garage as a means of sealing its ceiling against those same elements.

The doors to the attic are also being designed to seal the attic space and the ceiling of the garage, ‘cuz that’s the underside of the attic, from all those same weather things.

Once these two projects are done, we’ll be able to pull the walls off the garage, replace the sheathing, hang the shed, install the doors and wrap the place with Tyvek, thereby sealing it nice and tight. Then we can install the siding. More importantly, I get my dumpster.

Assembled frame of the new shed. This will be wrapped in plywood on the outside, Slatwall™ on the inside and doors – there will be doors.
This is the existing seasonal shed. It’s held up well, but it’s time to move on.
They make expensive fence systems for this saw, but this gizmo works pretty well and cost nothing.
The four corners of the new shed are set in pairs. And, I have a visitor.
Just checking to see that the sides are square and identical.
Long lengths turn into shorter lengths
The top is built so the roof slopes. It’s 22½° so I had to make clamping aids
90° clamping aids are readily available. They hold things in place until I’m ready to glue and screw things into place.
Dry fit to get a look at the new improved profile.
This thing is going to hang on the wall and hold a lot more weight than a kitchen cabinet. This construction screw will help.
Those doors will have to be replaced.

70 comments

  4. There was a time I lived in a place where we had a seasonal shed. There were too many times when, unable to find something in the main abode, the thought comes to mind, “it must be in the shed.” What follows is an hour or two search through boxes and shelves while trying to navigate a floor that can’t really be seen, a kind of clutter version of twister. There was the inevitable fall, and if one was lucky, no bandages were needed. After awhile if a neighbor asked for a rake, the reply was “a rake? uh, no, don’t think i have rake.” :)

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    1. I’m am definitely laughing with you. This one is perfect, in that you can’t actually go in. Things can fall on you but you can’t fall in the shed. I still do the dance with contraptions in the fall and winter, in the other shed, the real shed. My neighbor better not ask to borrow anything.

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  5. Hi Dan – that’s great you’re having a dose of doing-it-yourself … looks like you have the tools to hand – so am sure it’ll be duly completed. Then two sheds appropriately packed and stacked … til next year, when one needs to re-look … enjoy the weekend – cheers Hilary

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  6. You are a DIY dream – a professional cabinet maker redoing a garage and all its parts. Now, there’s a job no one has to worry about being done correctly. Love the seasonal shed, but I’d cabbage on to it for gardening tools as well. Dare I admit, I’d be able to find that rake. :-)

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    1. Thanks Judy. Yeah, I’ll never see the inside of this shed after I hang it on the wall. It’s ok, I do love those fresh veggies. Besides, if the snow shovel was in there, I’d need another one to clear s path to the shed. I’m not surprised that you can find the rake. I’ll send my neighbor your way.

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  7. It’s always fun to see photos and descriptions of your projects Dan. Good job working Linda’s prompt into the narrative. Crystal sends a happy Caturday to the kitties. What’s that Crystal? Okay to Maddie too. =^-^= Hugs.

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  8. I always enjoy when the voices break free, Dan. We haven’t ever had a shed, but then my husband is handier with technology than with shed sorts of things and his time for outdoor things is also limited due to that technology stuff, which never stays within 9-5 bounds! But we’ve had garages and, in our Cleveland house, an attic, which is just a larger shed that’s above the house, filled with a different sort of “stuff!”

    Enjoy creating this!

    janet

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  9. Well, Norm Abrams, aren’t you the handy dandy one with all of your tools! I’m impressed by your skills and those of anyone who can build and remodel like this. Is Faith helping with the project?

    The outside seasonal shed is interesting. I’ve never seen or heard of such a thing. I hope this time you get to use it for its intended purpose.

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    1. Thanks Mary. Faith has offered to help, and she probably will at some point, but I’m using a bunch of vacation time, so she’ll mainly be working. Yes, I consider this a good use of vacation time.

      I’ll never get to put anything in this shed. I know that. I’m making changes to the design do it will better serve she who now owns the shed.

      And, we (guys like me) do these projects, do we can have those tools.

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  10. but since the existing siding is T-111, a plywood based product that serves as sheathing and siding in one

    I hope you plan on bracing the garage as you strip this stuff off…because it is what is holding the structure from folding over sideways.

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  11. Wow Dan, you could have had a two-fer here! Sealings and ceilings and doors-oh my! 😀I can actually here the glee in your voice with all of this tearing down and building up going on. But you have now made me excited about having to reorganize my tupperware. Yeah, it’s all ‘tupperware’ down here. 😉 Good luck and watch those fingers! Have fun.

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  12. PS. I really miss us having a ‘real’ garage. He was always just the same as you. He had so many tools, lawn machines and ideas. If ever anyone needed anything built or fixed, all that was neede was a trip to the garage and presto! Done. I loved to go out there and visit him during the day, the smell of sawdust mixed with oil and the sound of clinking tools holds a special place in my heart.

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      1. Fathers and sons. All of my sons have been influenced by him and love to show or tell him about things they build or repair. Onlu one loves to build as much as he does but they all are capable. His Dad used to make him pull nails from old boards just to keep him around and out of “trouble”. 🤔

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    1. Thanks John. I’ll be hard pressed to contain my joy when that dumpster arrives. Not to mention a load of plywood and siding. It’s been a while, and this is the last major outside project for me…I think…

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  15. Dan, you need FOUR seasonal sheds. For, you know, all the seasons. Big things in the Real Shed, tools in the seasonal sheds. Am I brilliant, or what? I come up with the ideas, somebody else does the work. Perfect.

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    1. Ha! That is a good idea, and a good approach (have ideas for others), but I don’t think it will work. I wish I had room for two seasonal sheds, but one is ll that will fit, and it’s been claimed. At least I have the fun of making it.

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  16. Looks good to me! My dad had a shed behind his so-full-you-can-hardly-walk garage. The shed’s still there and one of the many things we have to go through. No telling what’s in there. Probably some little animals.

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    1. It’s an original idea Joanne. I’ve never seen one around here. Of course, the “seasonal” nature has never been realized, but my wife likes having everything handy when she’s working in the garden.

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  19. You, Dan, are absolutely hysterical. You need to let those voices out more often. Even though it is an incredible amount of work you are describing, the way in which you described this job had me in stitches. I know all about sheds. We have a barn aka shed. Things are supposed to be rotated as per season but nope we’ve created small snaking paths in order to get to such and such and the big stuff in the back … but of course it is in the back … the stuff in front has to be moved. About that dumpster …. what IS it about tools and dumpsters about you guys?

    Notice I’m here NOW at this TIME when I said we were leaving to get me a riding seat. Still waiting on hubby to finish up what he’s doing. Good thing I know how to keep busy while “waiting” or else I’d never be done. LOL

    Good luck with that project! 😜🛠⚙️🔩⛓🔫🔦🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🥃😂

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  20. Oh, I’ve often wondered what those little add on spaces are for and called. A Seasonal Shed! Now I know, thanks!

    We had one those aluminum sheds for years and years that was supposed to hold all He-man’s yard stuff like the rakes, mower, and sport stuff of the kids. He filled it will with stuff but, not what we had talked about filling with cause, he said, ” That shed isn’t really weather sealed I’m not putting my mower in there.” So, nothing he really valued went in it. Neither of us went in it much after he filled it. When we did the remodel we emptied it threw everything out when the contractor had a dumpster delivered to haul all our old walls and stuff out then He-Man freecycled the Shed to someone who came out took it apart and drove off with it. Easy peasy!

    Our garage has two paths one that leads from the kitchen to the outside, one from the kitchen to my laundry area. His mower, and tools are all in the garage. I know where the rakes are, and can get to them. Shhh! Don’t tell the neighbors. :) I have made some headway on getting rid of stuff and cleaning out the garage. There are no longer boxes floor to ceiling! The boxes are chest high now. Progress is being made slow but steadily! :)

    You won’t get all that done before Winter will you? It sounds like a massive project. But, I laughed and was nodding along feeling your joy using winches, your tools, and lumber! #1 Grandson would be doing his happy dance if he were there watching you. He loves all that guy stuff. He has 3 toy cranes already, and two trucks with winches.

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    1. I am hoping to get it done before it snows. I’m going to do the siding first, as it’s the more difficult of the two jobs. The roof should go fast, but if I get hung up, it can wait until spring.

      I manage to get two cars in the garage in the winter but it takes a weekend to get them in. The incentive is the prospect of clearing the driveway with a car in it.

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  21. You just wrote the best description of the all-purpose, every-house shed I’ve had the privilege to read. And this bit of writing struck home with a resounding thwack: “…well you get the picture. If you don’t, go look at your shed”. Yep, I’ll do that. And it will be worse than what you described. Also, what is it about having a dumpster that makes a man feel like he’s accomplishing great things?

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    1. I’m glad you liked that description, Janet. Our shed is at its worst in the summer. In the fall, it is very much ready for clean-up. In the winter, the snow blower is front and center. As for having a dumpster, it turns a D-I-Y project into a construction site. I’ll probably describe that in greater detail after it arrives.

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  24. Wow! I find that particularly clever! Did you think of that, like invent it?
    The shed here isn’t too bad, cause it’s MY shed, and other than the spiders, everything’s tidy. The garage, since I organized it, has definitely taken a turn for the worst, but again, mostly it’s just a spider situation. Our basketballs need inflated. Again. You know that feeling when you see your kid shootin hoops at the Y and you’re like, “We have a perfectly good hoop at home…” Then you realize someone, not The Mister, inflates the basketballs at the Y?!? That’s aggravating. Do you suppose I need to learn how to use the compressor attachments now?
    Our garage doesn’t need new siding, thank tacos, BUT, remember that tornado that blew through last fall? Well it threw off some siding and now every time it storms, we tap it back up. Summer has been stormy! The Mister said it’s not hung with the right kind of nails and so that’s on his list. I dunno how he knows that, I didn’t know that, but maybe it’s part of his brain.
    Good luck with your project, I’m glad you’re havin all the fun! :D

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  25. As far as I know, I invented that :) I’m being a little facetious, but I don’t recall ever seeing one of these before. I do recall the tornado stories with the siding being ripped off. Siding nails are a special little deal. They’re readily available, but you shouldn’t substitute something else. And, they don’t get pounded in all the way tight.

    As for the basketball, get a bicycle pump, a needle valve and teach everyone how to do that thing. However, learning how to use the compressor attachments is also a good idea. I’m going to be sharing a higher-than-normal number of construction stories for the foreseeable future. I hope it doesn’t get out of hand, but I am having fun.

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  26. Oh, Dan! I’m sure you are in your element! Summer is a long time going so don’t worry about the naysayers. My brothers roofed a garage in a weekend once. The outside of the garage with your meticulous care may take a couple months, but maybe it will fly by safely and soundly. Knock on wood! xo Crossing my fingers!
    p.s. my brother and I took tons of stuff and broke down bookcases into a dumpster. A huge dumpster and six weekends for Randy and four for me to drive up Fri and leave Sun but my parents’ lake cottage was deceptive! A garage made into a large room an attic, and crawl space chock full of stuff. My niece moved in as a single woman but the last two years of joyful lake life included a big tent wedding on the extra property and having a rod iron fence put around both properties so no one fell off the cliff into the lake. Phew! It is now off all of our hands and easier to remember happy wonderful family moments. 🏡 🌅

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement, Robin. The initial two sections are going to be difficult, working around doors and windows and several electrical connections.The last two sections should go faster. One step at a time.

      It sounds like your project was pretty aggressive. I’m glad it turned out well. Cleaning out stuff that others accumulated it never easy. Especially when it’s chock full of memories.

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      1. Always happy to lend a positive hand or comment. 🌞
        We had some fun, Dan along the way.
        Hope the first 2 sections go smoothly. . .
        So, no worries! I’m sure my kids will be happy about how I learned not to be such a saver of things.

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  28. Pingback: Thursday Doors – The Other D-I-Y Doors – No Facilities

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